Feeding mechanism for accounting machine carriage platens



0. THIEME FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING Nov. 9, 1948.

MACHINE CARRIAGE PLA'I'ENS 7 Sheets-Shae; 1

Filed Dec 29, 1944 INVENTOR 0770 TH fME ATTORNEY Nov; 9, 1948. o. THIEME 2,453,282

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINE CARRIAGE PLATENS Filed Dec. 29, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 0770 TH/EME BY AT'ToRNEY O. THIEME FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINE CARRIAGE PLATENS Nov. 9, 1948;

'7 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 29, 1944 INVENTOR 0770 TH/EME ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1948. o. THIEME' 2,453,282

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING. MACHINE CARRIAGE PLATENS I Filed Dec. 29, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 9, 1948. o. THIEME FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING Filed Dec. 29, 1944 MACHINE CARRIAGE PLATENS 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Orro .7'H/5ME ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1948. o. THIEME 2,453,282

' FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINE CARRIAGE PLATENS Filed Dec. 29, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 mvsmon 07-7-0 TH/EME AT ToRNEY Nov. 9,1948. E 2,453,282

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINE CARRIAGE PLATENS Filed Dec. 29, 1944 '1 sheets-sheet 7 FIG. Z

INVENTOR Orro I a/5 5 BY Ai'TORNEY Patented Nov. 9, 1948 FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHlNE CARRIAGE PLATENS Otto Thieme, East Orange, N. J assignor to International Business Machines Corporation,

, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 29, 1944, Serial No. 570,323 6 Claims. (01. 197-414) The improved carriage comprisingthe present invention is primarily adapted for use in connection with tabulating machines of the type shown in the patent to Peirce, No. 2,042,324, dated May 26, 1936, for a Tabulator. Such carriages may be of the numerical type, of the alphabetical type, or both. The invention, however, is capable of other uses and the same may, with or without modification, be employed in connection with various other types of tabulatingmachines, Whether the same be numerical or alphabetical and whether the same be controlled by means of a keyboard or by means of record cards.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a carriage of the type outlined above having an improved feeding means for record media on which tabulations are to be made and which will accommodate both single sheets and relatively thicker pamphlet or booklet type material, manual means being provided for converting the carriage from one use to the other.

'More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a carriage of this type having a rotary printingplaten, and a cooperating paper support table including an integrally formed paper guide which cooperates with the platen in feeding the record material around the latter, together with front and rear auxiliary feed rolls relative positions of the auxiliary feed rolls so that the machine will accommodate record material of varying thicknesses and so that the carriage may readily be converted from one use to the other. 2

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel type of releasing means for the record media whereby both the front and rear auxiliary feed rolls may be withdrawn from the platen for release and withdrawal of the record media from the carriage,

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of platen mounting by means of which the platen assembly in its entirety may, readily be removed from the carriage frame for purposes of inspection, repair or replacement.

Yet another object of the invention is toprovide a novel form of carriage construction includinga carriage slide whereby the position of the carriage with respect to the printing elements of the machine with which it is associated may be shifted, together with a novel form of locking This object also further emmeans for maintaining the carriage in any desired shifted position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a carriage of this type having novel means ,7 in the form of yieldable curved spring plates which act as a piloting means for feeding flexible forms into printing position around the printing platen, the nature of the spring plates being such that their curvature will automatically accommodate itself to the forms and assist inholdingthe latter taut against the periphery of the platen. In carrying out the above mentioned object, the curved yieldable spring plates are mounted upon and bodily movable with the paper support table ,1 in such a manner that as different thicknesses of forms are encountered these plates, together with the entire paper support table assembly, is moved bodily relative to the platen to afford the desired clearance for form feeding purposes.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for indexing the printing platen to accommodate one, two or three indexing spaces between adjacent printing operations.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved indexing mechanism for the printing platen, as outlined above, including means whereby overthrow of the platen will automatically be prevented when the mechanism is set for either double or triple spacing of the platen.

The provision of a carriage of the type set forth above which is comprised of a minimum number of moving parts, yet which is extremely rugged and durable and which, consequently, is unlikely to get out of order, one which may be manufactured at a relatively low cost, and one which otherwise is Well adapted to perform the services required of it are further desirable features that have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention not at'this time enumerated will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification:

' Fig. 1 is'a side elevational view of the improved carriage showing the same operatively assembled upon a conventional accounting machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is' a rear viewof a portion of the car-, I

riage.

along the line 88 of Fig. 2.

In all of the above described views like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts throughout. a

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the carriage assembly involves in its general organization a pair of side frame members I and I2, shown in Figs. 1 and 6 respectively. These frame members are preferably in the form of steel cast ings which are connected together by a front carriage-supporting bar I 4 which constitutes a front rail upon which the carriage proper is slidably mounted for lateral shifting movement to a selected position. The side frame members l0 and [2 are also rigidl 'held in position by means of a toothed transverse rack l6 (Figs. 4 and 7) which extends across these members near the top and adjacent the rear thereof.

The side members I0 and I2 are provided with lower foot portions I8 having bolt holes-20 passing therethrough and constituting a means whereby the carriage structure may be attached to a tabulating or other accounting machine,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially provided with a rearwardly projecting portion 50. A rock shaft 52 is suitably journaled at one end in the rearwardly extending portion 50 of the bracket 48 and its other end is journaled in the end plate 30. h r t a d ad ac e M rket 8 a locking memberi l provided with teeth 55 designed for selective locking'engagement with a series of teeth 58 provided on the transverse rack l6- An operating lever or handle 60 is mounted on the shaft 52 adjacent the end plate 30 and is provided with a'pin 62 which projects laterally therefrom. A coil spring 64 has one end thereof anchored to the pin 62 and the other end thereof anchored to a similar but stationary pin 66 which projects rearwardly from the end plate 30. From 1 the arrangement of parts just described, it will such as is shown at 22 in dotted lines in Fig. 1. v

port for the front portion of the carriage proper and this bar, together with the two roller elements 28, are adapted to receive thereon and slidably carry the entire weight of the carriage proper-in a manner that will be set forth here inafter.

The carriage proper involves in its general organization a pair of end plates 30and 32 (Figs.

1 and2). These spaced end plates are rigidly connectedtogether by means of a slide bar "34 which is secured thereto by means of brackets 36 that are bolted or otherwise secured to the end plates and which arealso welded or other; I

wise secured tothe slide bar. A cross piece .38 (Figs. 3 and 4) extends between the end plates 30 and 32 and is secured thereto at its end in any suitable manner, as for example, by means of cap screws 40,.and serves as an additional rigid supporting connection between the two pieces.

A third cross member 42, similar to the member 38, is likewise secured to the end plates 30 and d c n their f r d ed e and fu he nd rigidity to the carriage structure. {in additional or fourth cross piece 44 is similarly secured at its ends to the two end plates 30 and 32 near the rear and toward the bottom thereof and, in addition to further strengthenin the frame structure of the carriage proper, also serves as a mounting for a paper or work table 46.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 7, the slide bal. 34 has mounted thereon a bracket 48 which is be seen that by virtue of the biasing action of the spring 64 the locking member 54 will normally-be maintained in operating engagement with the racklli and when the teeth 56 on the locking member 54 are in engagement with the teeth 58 on the rack 16 the carriage framework.

including the end plates 30 and32 and the various transverse bars '34, 38, 44, etc., will be locked in a predetermined lateral position on thestationary carriage supporting framework 10, I2, etc. When it is desired to shift the position of the carriage laterally, it is merely necessary for the operator to engagethe lever or handle 60- and swing the same forwardly of the machine,

thus disengaging the teeth 56 from the teeth 58 and freeing the carriage for lateral 'shifting movement.

Achannel-shaped slide plate 68is suitably secured tothe cross piece 42, as shown in Fig. 4, and is providedwith' a foot portion 10 which slidably rests upon the upper edge of the frontbar or rail 14. An angle piece12-is suitably secured. to the bar or rail I 4 and is provided with a flange Referring :now to Figs. 1,, 3, 4 and 7, means are providedwhe-reby independently of the locking member 54 the carriage proper may be securely fastened against lateral shifting movement thereof in any selected position. Toward these ends, each of the. stationary side frame members In and j I2 is provided with a clamping means for the slide bar .34 whereby this member may be securely clamped against the inner arm-26 of the bifurcated extension 24' thereof. 1 Since. the two clamping means :l-ust mentioned are Substantially identical in construction'it is thought that a description of one of them will sufiice for them.

both. The clamping. means associated with the ide ir m "l 'i iel d f a e e al us e bracket 16 which is loosely attached to one side.

face of'the extension T2 4'by means of pin and slot connections "18 bracket 16 is thus capable of limited sliding movement on the extension 24. An elongated bearing strip .80 is adapted to be inserted into the space between the slide bar 34, which rides in the bifurcation of the bracket 16, and one edge of the bracket 1.6 has affixed thereto a'blockBZ. throughwhich there extends a thumb screw '84, the inner end'of 'wl'iichi s The rock shaft 52 has secured adapted, upon tighteningof the thumb screw 84, to bear against the rear edge of the frame member I0, thus forcing the loosely mounted bracket 16 rearwardly and causing one inner edge thereof to engage the slide bar 34 and clamp it, together with the clamping strip 80, firmly against the rear arm 26 of the extension 24. In this manner, the slide bar 34, and consequently the carriage proper, is firmly clamped against lateral displacement regardless of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the clamping assembly including the lever 60, shaft 52 and locking member 54.

The platen assembly 86is best illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein it is shown assembled in its entirety. This assembly is more O1,1ESS conventional; in its design and includes an elongated rubber-covered platen roller- 88. This roller 88 has associated therewith an internal clutch mechanism (not shown) of conventional design, the function of which is torender the steprby-step indexing mechanism ordinarily associated with such platens inoperative when desired in order that a record sheet mounted on the platen may be manually adjusted to any desired, position of registry with the printing line of the platen. Toward these ends, the assembl 88 also includes a central shaft 00, one end of which is rotatably journaled in an anti-friction bearing unit or assembly 92 contained within a recess 94 provided in the end plate 30 of the carriage proper.

The anti-friction'bearing unit 92 is removably secured to the end plate 30 by means of suitable studs 96 or the like. The other end. of the shaft 90 is rotatably supported in ananti-friction unit or member 98 (Fig. 6) which is positioned within an opening I60 provided in the end plate 32 and which is similarly secured to the end plate by means of studs I02. The shaft 90 projects completely through the bearing 02 and is provided with a hand wheel I04. A clutchoperating knob I06 is also associated with this end of the platen assembly and is adapted to be pulled outwardly to the right, as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of releasing the internal clutch mechanism to render the indexing mechanism for the platen inoperative and to permit manual adjustment of the position of the platen. Such clutch mechanisms are well known in the art and no claim is madeherein to any novelty associated with this feature.

The platen assembly 86 includes an outer sleeve I08 upon which the rubber-covered platen roller proper 88 is mounted and with which it is adapted to turn in unison. This sleeve I08 is mounted upon an inner sleeve III] which, when the internal clutch mechanism is in full engagement, is adapted to turn in unison with the outer sleeve I08. When the inner clutch mechanism is thrown out of engagement the outer sleeve I08 is' adapted to turn' independently of the inner sleeve H0. "The outer sleeve I08 has mounted thereon a gear I I2 which appears at the left-hand side of Fig. 2. This gear is adapted to mesh with an idler gear II4 mounted on a stud II6 carried, by the end plate 32. The inner sleeve IIO has mounted thereon a gear .II8 which meshes with a driving gear I20 mounted on a shaft I22 which is rotatably supported in a bear-- ing member I24 suitably supported within an opening provided in the end plate 32. The shaft I22 also has mounted thereon a ratchet wheel I26 which constitutes one element of a platen feed mechanism subsequently to be described.

.From the above description it will be seen that 6 the entire platen assembly is capable of relatively easy removal fromits position within the carriage proper. To accomplish this purpose, it is merely necessary to remove the studs 96 and shift the entire platen assembly to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2. Upon such shifting of the platen assembly, the gears H8, I and the gears vI I2, II4 will move out of mesh and the end of the shaft 90 may be withdrawn from its bearing support in the end plate 32. The bearing unit 02 may,

upon slight movement thereof to the right as viewed in Fig. 2, be withdrawn from its recess and as soon as this has been accomplished the platen assembly is free from the carriage proper.

The operating instrumentalities whereby the platen is adapted to be periodically indexed appear in Fig. 6. These operating instrumentalities are adapted to be set into operation periodically upon actuation or depression of a pivoted arm or lever I28 which carries a square attachment stud I30 adjacent its outer end. The stud I30 is adapted to be connected to an actuating link (not shown) which depends downwardly therefrom and is operatively associated with the internal mechanism of the tabulating machine with which the present carriage assembly is associated. These platen indexing instrumentalities are also. adapted to be actuated upon depression of a lever I32 (Fig. 1) which similarly carries attaching means I33 for a second link (not shown), also operatively connected to the internal operating instrumentalities of the tabulating machine.

The two operating levers I28 and I32, which alternatively control the indexing of the platen, are situated on opposite sides of the carriage proper. The lever I28 is mounted upon and movable with a rock shaft I34 (Figs. 4 and 6) which passes through the end plate 32 and extends partway across the machine and has its end rotatably journaled in a block I36 which is secured to the cross bar 38 by means of a stud I38. The shaft I34 has attached thereto an elongated rib I40 which cooperates with a forked member or arm I42 secured to a transverse shaft I44 that extends between the tWo side frame members I0 and I2 adjacent the rear of the machine. The other operating lever I32 is affixed to this latter shaft.

The lever I28 constitutes one element of a ratchet type indexing control for the platen. This lever is the main operating lever for the ratchet control and it is adapted to be directly operated through the square attachment stud I30 or indirectly operated by depression of the lever I32 which, upon such depression, causes rocking of the shaft I44 and cooperation between the forked member I42 or rib I40 to translate rocking motion to the shaft I44 and consequent angular movement of the lever I28, all in a manner similar to that illustrated and described in the above mentioned patent to Peirce.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the main operating lever I28 is of the bell crank type and includes an operating arm I46 on which the attachment stud. I 30 is mounted and a vertical arm I48 which carries an operating pin I50 adjacent its upper end. The operating pin extends through a slot I52 provided. medially of a pawl arm I54 loosely mounted on the rock shaft I34. The pawl arm I54 is normall maintained in a retracted position by means of a tension spring I56, one end of which is a'nchored to an elongated pin I58 carried on the end plate 32. The upper end of the pawl I arm I54 has pivoted thereto as at I60, a pawl greases;

element I62 having a pawl tooth I 64 designed for cooperation with the ratchet wheel I26 for. single, double or triple indexing purposes wherein the record media associated with the platen is ad-. vanced one, two or three spaces, as the case may be. The pawl element I62 is generally of angular design and includes a depending arm or finger I66 designed for engagement with a second finger I68 mounted on a pin I10 carried at the lower end of a dependingarm I12 formed on an index setting member I14. This latter finger I68 serves as a limit stop for the pawl element 162 to determine the normal retracted position of this latter element. The pawl element I62 is normally biased in a clockwise direction,asviewed in Fig. 6, about the axis of its pivotal point I60 by means of a leaf spring I16 which isanchored to a pin I18 carried at the upper end of the pawl arm I54. Since, however, this latter arm I54 is normally biased by means of the spring I56 to a retracted position and since the spring I56 is strongerthan the spring I16, it exerts a predominating influence on the pawl arm I54 so that as the finger I68 bears against the finger I66-the pawl element I62 is brought to a retracted position wherein the tooth I64 thereof is out of engagement with the teeth on the ratchet wheel I26. It will be seen that upon rocking of the lever I28 about the axis of the rock shaft I34 in a clockwise direction, the pawl arm I54 will be swung to the right, thus carrying with it the pawl element I62 which, upon such movement of the arm I54, will be moved in a clockwise direction relativeto the arm on which it is mounted until the tooth I64 thereof engages the ratchet wheel I26. The index setting member I14 is pivoted as at I80 to the end plate 32 and includes an adjusting arm I82, the outer end of which is provided with a series of three openings or holes I84 adapted upon manual adjustment of the member I14 to selectively receive therethrough a locking pin I86 which projects through an opening formed in the end plate 32 and which carries an operating knob I 88 (Fig. 2) which is positioned inside the end plate 32. The operating knob and pin have associated therewith an internal spring arrangement whereby the pin is normally biased so that it will project completely through the opening provided in the end plate 32 and be selectivelyreceived in" one of the three holes I84 formed in the index setting member I14.

The three holes I84 are so arranged that when. they are shifted into register with the locking pin I86 difierent initial settings of thepawl arm I54 and pawl element I62 carried thereby will be attained. The three holes I84 have been labeled I, 2 and 3 to conform to the number of the respective index settings. When the hole labeled I is in register Withthe locking pin I86, the finger. I68 will occupy an extreme position toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, so that when the lever I28 is manipulated the pawl tooth I64 will en age one tooth on the ratchet wheel I26 and, during its operative stroke, index the platen one posi tion. When the hole labeled 2 is in register'with the locking pin I86 and the lever I28 is "manip u lated, the tooth I64 on the pawl element I62will i engage a difierent tooth on the ratchet wheel I26? and index the platen two positions. Similarly,

when the hole labeled 3 is in register with the locking pin I86 and the lever I28 is operated,the tooth I64 of the pawl element I62 will engage still another tooth on the ratchet wheell26 to 1 index the platen three positions.

- In order to stabilize the indexing operations or the platen so that each operation will be uniform,

a springepressed biasing element I90 is pivoted as at I92 to. the end plate 32 and carries at its-free end a biasing roller I94 which bears against'the surface of the ratchet'wheel I26 so that the in-.,.

dexing operations are clear and distinct one from another.

While the biasing member I90 ordinarily. will serve to prevent overthrow of. the platen when single indexing operations are resorted to, this member cannot always be relied upon to prevent such overthrow operations when double and triple indexing operations are resorted to. To insure that no such overthrow operation shall beencounter'ed during such double and triple indexing operations, an overthrow clutch mechanism-is associated with the platen and is adapted to berendered operative only when doubl or triple indexing operations are resorted to.

The overthrow clutch mechanism just referred to includes a friction clutch element 196 (Figs 6 and 8) which is mounted upon a'drum198 which is in turn carried by the shaft I22. -This clutch is capable of turning movement relative to the ratchet wheel I 26 but is restrained from such relative turning movement by a predetermined degree of frictional resistance with respect to the drum I98. The friction clutch element I96 also has associated therewith a ratchet wheel 260, the

. teeth of which are presented in a direction opposite to the presentation of the teeth formed on' the ratchet wheel I26. Theselatterteeth, which are associated with the friction clutch element I96, are adapted to be engaged by a pawl tooth 20: carried on a holding pawl204 but only'when the index setting member I14 is set for double or trl'ple spacing purposes. In the other position of the index setting member, the pawl tooth 202 and clutch arrangement above described remains in-' operative.

Towardthese ends, the pawl arm 204 is loosely pivoted on the rock shaft I34 and is providedwith a downwardly extending lug 206 to which there is attached oneend of a biasing spring208, the

other end of the spring being attached to the pin I58. Thus the holding pawl 204- is normally urged in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig.-

6, under the influence of the spring 208. The

similar slot 2I0 formed in the holding pawl 204 and, since this pawl is biased in a clockwise direction, the left-hand edge of the slot 2I0'normally bears against the operating pin I50.v Therefore, the movement of the pawl 204 follows the movement of the operating pin I50 which moves under the control I28 or I32.

When the index setting member I14 is set for double or triple spacing functions, the pawl arm 204 is free to moveinto engagement with the teeth provided on the ratchet wheel 200 at such times as either of the operating arms I28 or I32 is actuated. When, however, the index setting member I14 is set for single spacing purposes, as

in the position shown in Fig. 6, the pawlarmi' I 204 is restrained during forward movement of the'arms I28 or I32 by'means of a latch member latch member 2I2 (Fig, 8),, is adapted to be ens gaged by a biasing leaf spring 2I5 anchored to the pivotal point I and in this manner the latch of either of the arms Toward these ends, the latch member 2I2 is pivoted'on a, stud 2I4 mountedon'the end plate' 32. A pin 2 I3, which'projects upwardly from the p member 2I2 is normally urged downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6 wherein the pawl arm 204 is restrained or maintained in its inoperative position. The index setting arm I14 is provided with a slot 2|6 therein through which the stud 2 l4 projects and this slot affords a clearance for the stud in order that the arm 114 may have freedom of movement to any of its selected preset positions. The latch member 2|2 is provided with a slot 2l8 therein through which there projects a pin 220 which is mounted on the index setting member I14. Whenever the index setting member I14 is set to its single spacing position, the pin 220 carried thereby has no efiect upon the latch member 2l2. Upon setting of the index arm I14 for either double or triple spacin operations, the pin 220 carried thereby exerts a camming effect upon the upper edge of the slot 2|8, thus elevating the latch member 2 l 2 and preventing the latter from moving into its holding posi-.

tion during indexing operations. With the latch member 2 I2 thus elevated and held against lowering movement, the holding pawl 204 is free to move forwardly during indexing operations and engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 20D andrender the clutch element I96 effective to prevent platen overthrow.

Various extraneous disclosures have been made in Fig. 6 which are beyond the scope of the present invention, For example, the ratchet wheel I26 is shown as being provided with a series of laterally extending, radially disposed clutch teeth. These teeth and other incidental disclosures apnearing in the present drawings are effective in connection with an automatic carriage control device, the subject matter of which will be presented in a companion application subsequently to be filed.

The record or work table 46 for the machine, upon which the record media is adapted to be supported and over which it is fed to the platen a light sheet metal tray-like structure including an inclined table portion 250 which is provided with downwardly extending side flanges 252 extending along the side edges thereof adjacent the rear portion of the machine. A depending rear flange 254 extends along the back of the tray-' like structure. A pair of brackets 256 secured to the side flanges 252 project rearwardly'ofthe tray structure and carry an elongated guide roller 258 which is coextensive with the table and is freely supported for rotation between the two brackets 256. A pair of paper guides 26!! of conventional form are positioned upon the table portion 250 and are adjustable laterally therealong and are adapted to be clamped in any desired position by means of thumb screws 262, the ends of which when tightened bear against a transverse rod 264 extending between the brackets 256. The paper guides 26!] are provided with slots 266 across which there may, if desired. be placed weighted paper retaining rods or the like 261.

The forward portion of the paper table 45 is provided with a series of openings 2% to accommodate an equivalent number of adjustable aux-' iliary paper rollers 210, the nature and function of which will be made clear presently. The extreme forward portion of the paper table 46 is curved upwardly as shown at H2 and in general this latter curved portion of the paper table conforms in curvature to the cylindrical contour. of the platenproper. The table portion 250 of the paper table 46 is provided with a series ofrelatively small slots 214 therein, which slots are spaced transversely across the table and, as shown in the present instance, are six in number. These slots are adapt-ed to loosely receive therein and guide the tapered ends 2'55 of a series of leaf springs 2.?8. Each of these leaf springs is loosely anchored as at 28!! by means of loosely set rivets 282 that project through small apertures provided in the curved forward portion of the paper table. The tendency of the leaf springs 218 is to bear upwardly against the underneath side of the platen and guide the record media in its arcuate path around the platen. These arcuate leaf springs may thus be said to have a floating support upon the paper table and they are so designed 'as to yield slightly when record-media of diiferent thicknesses are encountered.

The paper table itself has a floating support within the framework of the machine or'in other words, it is possessed of limited motion in its own plane to accommodate diiferent thicknesses of work material. Toward this end, a series of slots 284 are formed at various points across the width of the table and each of these slots serves to receive therein a mounting screw 286 which is threadedly received in the cross bar 44; The forward regions of the table have secured thereto a series of brackets 28'! having downwardly projecting arms or extensions 288 provided with apertures through which there extend a series of guide pins 290. These latter guide pins serve to retain the forward region of the carriage in position within the machine, while at the same time permitting limited floating movement of the latter,

The paper table 46 is formed with an elongated transverse depression 292 which extends along the rear edge thereof. A suitable-work scale 294 is riveted or otherwise secured in this depression for reference purposes. The pap-er table 46 is normally urged in its own plane in a rearward direction in order that the curved portion 212 thereof will cooperate with the platen roller 88. To accomplish this, a pair of leafspri'ngs 296 (Fig. 3) are attached to the cross bar 44 and the end thereof bear against the ends of the downwardly extending side flanges 252.

Means are provided whereby the paper table 46 may be locked in any one of three diiferent positions relative to the platen assembly. Toward 'this'end. a pair of oppositely disposed, narrow slots 2% are formed in the downwardly extending side flanges 25 2 and serve to receive therein the ends of an elongated rod 308 (see Figs, 1 and 3 The rod 380 is slidably received between a plurality of pairs of guides 392 formed 'on a plurality of bars 344 that project rearwardly from the crossbar 44 and are shiftable laterally between these guides, while at the same time being slidable in the slots 29K The rod 395 is provided with a notch 305 adjacent each end thereof, these notches having stepped portions of different depth designed for sliding engagement with the edges of the slots'298. Because of the factthat the 'rod-tlBll-i's maintained between the'guide portions that by shifting the rod 3tll laterally a camming action will be exerted on- -the paper tabla's' a on a stud 348 mounted on the end plate 32.

'11 whole, thus moving the same to any one of its three selected positions to accommodate record media :of varying thicknesses. It is to be noted that while ordinarily a thin record media or a fairly thick one may be fed to the machine when the-paper table is in its rearmcst position without adjusting the position of the rod 330, this rod is provided for the purpose of manually locking the paper table in its foremost position wherein there is maximum clearance between the curved portion 212 thereof and the platen roller 88.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the adjustable auxiliary paper rollers 218, of which there are five in number and which project upwardly through the openings 268 provided in the work table 46, are preferably. of resilient material, such as rubber, and are mounted upon an elongated tubular shaft 308 j-ournaled at its opposite ends in a pair of anti-friction bearings 389 carried on a pair of cradles 318. End screws or plugs 3l2 associated with the anti-friction bearing-s 399 serve to center the shaft in position in order that the rubber paper rollers 210 may be accurately aligned with the openings 268 through which they project. The cradles 3H! are formed with sleeve portions 314 which are mounted for limited rocking move ment on a pair of studs-M6 supported from the end plates 38 and 32. Each of the sleeves 314 is provided with a rearwardly extending curved arm 318. The arm 3 18 at the right-hand side of the carriage. as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, is pivotally'connected as at 320 to a curved link The upper end of the link 322 is provided with a straight guide portion 324 which is re oeived in and guided by a pair of oppositely dis]- posed slots 326 formed in respective guide posts An elongated rod or rock shaft can is pivota'lly supported between the two end plates 39 and 32 and extends transversely across the machine medially beneath the level of the work table 45.

At the right-hand end of the carriage the shaft -member 338 is slidably received in a pair of opposed slots 340 formed in the guide posts 328. A pin 342 formed on the slide member 338 overlies an arcuate cam surface 344 provided on an operating lever 346 -which is' pivotally mounted Thus it-will be seen that as the operating lever 346 is swung from its full line to its dotted line position, as shown inFig. 3, the camming action of 1 the cam portion 344 thereof will cause the pin 342, and consequently the slide member 338, to become elevated, thus causing the rod or rock shaft 330 t turn to slight angular distance under the influence of the arm 334 connected thereto. A coil spring 350 is pivotally connected at one end to the operating lever 346 and at the other end'to a pin 352 mounted on the end plate 32, and thus the operating lever 346 is normally maintained in its retracted position wherein the rear edgethereofabuts against one of the guide posts 328. The operating lever 346 has suitably secured thereto adjacent its upper end an operatinghandle 354.

- The rock shaft 330 has mounted thereon a lever 356, the extreme outer end of which underlies the pivotal point 320 between the two curved links 3l8 and 322, and'thus it will be seen that as the operatinglever 346 is moved from its retracted to its advanced position, theslide member 338 will be moved upwardly, as previously described, to

rock the shaft 330- throughout a limited degree of angular movement- This rocking of the shaft 330 will causethe lifting lever 356 to engage the pivotal point 328 between the two curved links 3.4.8 and 322, thus lowering the cradle 310 and causing the rubber auxiliary rollers 210 to become lowered awayifrom the platen roller88. At the left-hand end of the carriage, as viewed in Fig. 2, a similar condition obtains wherein a lifting lever 358 (Fig. 5) similar to the lever356, is mounted on the elongated rod 330 and bears against a pivotalconnection 368 existing between a curved arm 362 similar'to the curved arm 318 and a slide rod 364, similar to the slide member 338 and similarly mounted in the machine. Thus upon tilting of the operating lever 346,- both cradles 3H1 are lowered so as to cause all of the auxiliary rollers 210 to be lowered away from the platen'roller 88 in unison.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 5, a pair of supporting studs 366 are anchored to and depended downwardly from the opposite ends of the cross bar 42 and serve to support therebetween an elongated rod 368. A plurality of cradles 310 serve to rotatably support therebetween a plurality of front auxiliary rollers 312., A plurality of leaf springs 314, each of which serves to accommodate thereby normally in frictional engagement with the platen roller 88. g

An additional pair of cradles 318 are provided adjacent the extreme ends of the rod'368 and serve to support therebetween a horizontal bar 380 which in its normal position closely overlies the bar 42. The cradles 318 are provided with cam surfaces 382 designed for .camming engagement with pins 384 formed at the outer end of a pair of arms 386 which form a part of theauxiliary roller carrying cradles 3l6. Thus it will be seen that as the cradle 310 is lowered in the manner previously described upon operation of the lever 346, the bar 386 is swung outwardly to the position. indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in moving its forward edgebears against all of the cradles 31,0 and causes them to be swung outwardly so that the rollers 312 carried thereby i are withdrawn from the platen roller 88. It will be seen, therefore, that movement of boththe auxiliary roller 210 and of all of the front auxiliary I for cooperation with a latch member 398 pivoted on a stud 392 carried by the end plate 32. The latch member 390 is providedwith an operating finger 394. A spring 395 serves to maintain the latch member in a normal position wherein the finger 394 bears against a stop member 398 mounted on the end plate 32. Thus the operating lever- 346 will, when it is moved to its retracted position, be maintained in this position until such time as it is manually released by the latch memher 396.

" Referring now to Figs. '2 and 4, the studs 316 which are mounted on the end plates 30 and 32 serve to rotatably support therebetween an elongated paper guide rod 46-9 which overlies and is slightly spaced from the upper surface of the inclined paper table '46.

A removable bar 402 has one end thereof received in an aperture formed in a bracket 404 secured to the end plate 30 and has its other end received in a slot 406 formed in the end plate 32. A spring-pressed locking element 408 serves to removably maintain the end of the bar 402 in the slot 406, A pluralityof laterally ad- -justable paper retaining elements 410 aremounted on the bar 402 and may be moved to anydesired position therealong for reference purposes. These elements are provided with depending spring fingers M2, the lower ends of which overlap and bear against the extreme forward edge of the paper table 46.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangementof parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification' as various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. Only insofar as the invention has been particularly pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typewriting machine of the character described, a rotary platen assembly including a platen, a ratchet wheel and a drum, all of which are rotatable in unison, a driving pawl for said ratchet wheel, means for actuating said pawl to index the platen, means for selectively presetting said pawl whereby upon actuation thereof the extent of its stroke will be varied to effect single or plural spacing indexing operations of the platen, a friction member mounted on said drum and normally rotatable therewith, said member being operable when maintained stationary to retard the movement of the drum and thus prevent overthrow of the platen, a ratchet wheel carried by said friction member, a holding pawl movable upon actuation of said driving pawl from an inoperative position wherein it is out of engagement with said latter ratchet wheel to an operative position wherein it is in holding engagement with the latter, means operable upon presetting of said driving pawl for single spacing operations to prevent movement of said holding pawl to its operative position, and means operable during actuation of said driving pawl when the latter is preset for plural spacing operations to move said holding pawl to its operative position.

2. In a typewriting machine of the character described, a rotary platen assembly including a, platen, a ratchet wheel and a drum, all of which are rotatable in unison, a driving pawl for said ratchet wheel, means for actuating said pawl to index the platen, means for selectively presetting said pawl whereby upon actuation thereof the extent of its stroke will be varied to effect single or plural spacing indexing operations of the platen, a friction member mounted on said drum and normally rotatable therewith, said member being operable when maintained stationary to retard the movement of the drum and thus prevent overthrow of the platen, a ratchet wheel carried by said friction member, a holding pawl movable during actuation of said driving pawl from an inoperative position wherein it is out of engagement with said latter ratchet wheel to an operative position wherein it is in holding engagement with the latter, means operable when said driving pawl is preset for plural spacing operations and upon actuation of the latter for moving said holding pawl to its operative position, and means operable when said driving pawl is preset for single spacing operations for preventing such movement of said holding pawl.

In atypewntmg machine of the character described, a rotary'platen as'sernbly'including a platen,'a'ratchet wheel and a drum, all of which are rotatable in unison, a driving pawl for said ratchet wheel, means for actuating said pawl to index the platen, means for selectively presetting said pawl whereby uponactuation thereof the extent of its stroke will be varied to eiiect single or plural spacing indexing operations of the platen, a friction member mounted on said drum and normally rotatable therewith, said member being operable when maintained stationary to retard the movement of the drum and thus prevent overthrow of the platen, a ratchet wheel carried by said friction member, a holding pawl. movable during actuation of said driving pawl from an inoperative position wherein it is out or engagement with said latter ratchet wheel to an operative position wherein it is in holding engagement withthe1atter-, means operable when said driving pawl is preset for plural spacing operations and upon actuation of the latter for moving said holding pawl to its operative position, and a latch member operable when said driving pawl is preset for single spacing operations to move into engagement with said holding pawl and prevent movement of the same,

4. In a typewriting machine of the character described, a rotary platen assembly including a platen, a, ratchet wheel and a drum, all of which are rotatable in unison, a driving pawl for said ratchet wheel, means for actuating said pawl to index the platen, means for selectively presetting said pawl whereby upon actuation thereof the extent of its stroke will be varied to effect single spacing, double spacing or triple spacing indexing operations of the platen, a friction member mounted on said drum and normally rotatable therewith but adapted when held against rotation to retard said drum and prevent overthrow of the platen, a ratchet wheel carried by said friction member, a holding pawl movable from an inoperative position wherein it is out of engagement with said latter ratchet wheel to an operative position wherein it is in holding engagement with the latter, means operable upon presetting of said driving pawl for single spacing operations to prevent movement of said holding pawl to its operative position, and means operable during actuation of said driving pawl when the latter is preset for double or triple spacing operations to move said holding pawl to its operative position to prevent overthrow of the platen.

5. In a typewriting machine of the character described, a rotary platen assembly including a platen, a ratchet wheel and a drum, all of which are rotatable in unison, a driving pawl for said ratchet wheel, means for actuating said pawl to index the platen, means for selectively presetting said pawl whereby upon actuation thereof the extent of its stroke will be varied to effect single spacing, double spacing or triple spacing indexing operations of the platen, a friction member mounted on said drum and normally rotatable therewith but adapted when held against rotation to retard said drum and prevent overthrow of the platen, a ratchet wheel carried by said friction member, a holding pawl movable upon actuation of said driving pawl from an inoperative position wherein it is out of engagement with said latter ratchet wheel to an operative position wherein it is in holding engagement with the latter, means operable during actuation of said driving pawl when the latter is preset for double or triple spacing operations for moving said holding pawl to its "operative position, and a latch member operable upon presetting of said driving pawl for single spacing operations to engage said holding pawl and prevent movement of the latter to its operative holding position. i

6. In a typewriter carriage of the character described, a rotary printing platen, manually settable ratchet mechanism selectively operable to index the platen for single or plural spacing of a record medium associated with the platen, means 10 for actuating said ratchet mechanism for either single or plural spacing operations, friction means automatically operable during actuation of said ratchet mechanism when the latter is preset for plural spacing operations to prevent overthrow of the platen, and latch meansoperable when the ratchet mechanism is preset for single spacing operations to prevent operation of said friction means.

OTTO THIEME.

16 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Didzuns Oct. 6, 1936 

